A media space for
'Big Kid Energy'
We’re suckers for stories that stick.
Because ‘good’ is subjective; meaning different things to different people. Stories that stick with us are those that bring us in or recreate an experience.
We center the experiences we connect with. We elevate voices whose timbre resonates within us. We create and collaborate with intentionality and specificity.
We want to bring you along for the ride…or walk, if you will. You get the point.
"Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships"
check the method
the codes we live by
Show & Tell
Not just in a visual sense.
We mind the tremor in someone’s voice, the arrangement of words that can either deliver a blow or a balm, down to the choice of instrument in the music.
We want you to not only understand it in your head, but feel it. Viscerally.
Curiosity & INNOVATION
Nurture the kid inside.
We take our wonder and run with it. We approach the unfamiliar with open minds and a Notepad.
Phrases like ‘unheard of’ and ‘rarely Done’ are more invitation than warning.
"Nothing without Intention"
Word to Solange’s When I Get Home.
Every project has a purpose. Whether to educate, entertain, or inspire, the ‘why’ is a compass & a lighthouse.
It is both a guide and a place to come back to if you find yourself adrift.
STAND IN IT
Underneath the fantastical, the grandiose, and the otherworldly, we’re drawn to stories that challenge us – that tell us the truth about ourselves. The good, bad, and in-between.
Collaboration
Team work makes the dream work.
Connecting with thoughtful, passionate, talented, artists and creators across various disciplines is the butter to our toast!
It truly takes a village, y’all.
Be Easy
We believe our best work comes more naturally when we’re challenged, but not needlessly stressed. We take on projects that stir us up and apply processes that keep us sustainable.
We strive for excellence and having fun while doing it.
“I told you. Stories are powerful and none are more powerful than the ones you let others tell you about yourself”
behind the scenes
About the Founder
Sketch by Céli
IG: @aepoyi // Twitter: @pianta_
Shayla B. Coleman
I believe in owning your own story. More than being the legal rights-holder, ‘ownership’ means being the ultimate decision maker and source of truth; down to who gets to tell it and how it’s told. Whether it’s about you or something you imagined and want to make tangible, your story should be recognizable when it comes back ’round to you.
Because of that, I’m gonna talk to you from my bio section just like this.
Like many kids, I wanted to be a lot of things – often at the same time. power ranger, genius inventor, astronaut, music super producer, violinist with the symphony orchestra, fashion designer, ad infinitum.
In grade school, my orchestra teacher took the class on a field trip to see Disney’s Fantasia 2000. My ‘aha’ came to me in the dark of an IMAX theater with a small popcorn bag and a box of sour patch kids in my lap, stone cold stunned as I watched whales fly to Resphighi’s Pines of Rome. I screamed (in my head, cuz I know how to act in public) “this! this! I wanna do this!”. I wanted to be part of whatever made things like flying whales and dancing paper cranes possible.
As I got older, ‘kid me’ and I became estranged. Awe and wonder were all but evicted by fear and doubt, and I wandered away from my dream for a bit, choosing a profession I believed could give me stability. I became a CPA – a mighty dope one – leveling up my business and process management skills. And while crunching numbers and consulting still pays the bills, I’m nurturing my creative spirit in my own way.
I’m finding my way back to storytelling, honoring ‘kid me’ by pursuing this dream later rather than never.
Starting with...
I was selected to be one of 20 members of the 2020 class of SoundUp U.S., Spotify’s podcast accelerator program that connects aspiring creators to the tools, skill sets, and network to move our ideas forward.
I, along with my cohort, learned the ins and outs of podcast development – formats, themes, story structure, scripting, etc – and how to apply those lessons to polishing our concepts. It’s an experience that won’t easily be forgotten thanks in large part to the facilitators, my cohort members, and the energy they brought with them. Once our shows took shape, we created a trailer and pitch for Spotify’s panel of judges.
Thankfully, I was one of 10 pitches chosen to move on to SoundUp’s phase two in 2021. Our focus this time around was the inner workings of the production process and bringing our concepts to life. I was paired with an amazing audio studio, SALT, and when our powers combined, Anime Colored Glasses was born. The fruits of our labor can be found under ‘Projects’.
As for what’s happened since then? Well, that story’s still being written.
"Life is more important than art; that's what makes art important"